“MAJ Column” plugin helps you create columns in Sketchup. Sketchup’s status bar helps you make columns and use the active keys when using this plugin. This version is completely tested on both Windows and Mac operating systems. You can download this version by following the link address:
For more information, you can visit my Youtube at the following link address.
MAJ Plugins List:
Free Plugins:
1- “MAJ Beam”. Helps you create beams.
2- “MAJ Column”. A must-have to create columns quickly and efficiently.
3- “MAJ Wall”. Allows you to create walls with 3 different layers.
4- “MAJ Door”. This plugin makes doors in the walls made by “MAJ Wall”.
5- “MAJ Window”. This plugin makes windows in the walls made by “MAJ Wall”.
6- “MAJ FollowMe”. Lets you create 3D shapes by choosing a face that follows your mouse pointer.
7- “MAJ Rail”. This plugin facilitates creating rails in 3 different types.
8- “MAJ Stair”. This plugin makes stair in 4 different thickness types.
Paid Plugins:
1- “MAJ Interior”. Knauf, Cornice, Wall Interior, Baseboard, and Floor made by one click.
2- “MAJ Light”. Helps you create halogen lamps made on Knauf.
3- “MAJ FollowMe”. The paid version allows the creation of an unlimited face list and face rotation.
4- “MAJ Rail”. 6 types of rails in the paid version.
Although I haven’t downloaded your extension, it looks like it would be useful to structural engineers.
As a building designer, I am not sure how it would help architects as we rely on engineers to tell us things like minimum column size and reinforcement. As we can’t see reinforcement, we are largely uninterested in it!
What might be useful to architects (some, anyway), would be an extension that automatically generates a properly detailed classical column from a given length. You would only need to input length and style (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, etc.), and everything else would be done for you.
I am a retired architect, so not doing any column design now; but I did a few simple concrete columns when I was active; and I had to illustrate a few, too, that were designed by engineers.
USA. Architects here are allowed to do structural design within their level of competence. Even so, I’ll admit that I do not know any other architects doing even a little structural concrete design. Even I would not have had circumstances not forced me. Sure never expected to be doing that when I went to school. Still, there must be other architects (and CAD operators) who would benefit from the extension.
Professional indemnity insurance over here is such that no architect (who wasn’t also qualified as a structural engineer) would be wise to undertake structural design, especially something as specialized as RC work. Our Building Regulations (equivalent to your Codes) won’t even allow us to choose our own floor joist or rafter sizes any longer!
Up until a few years ago the regs did include span tables. Never heard of any failure resulting from use of them. Then they withdrew them, clearly intending you to get a specialist to handle sizing. But some of us still use the old tables and I haven’t had them turned down. But I guess I might be at risk if anything went wrong.
Do you sometimes get the feeling, as do I, that such regulations (we have our share, too) have much more to do with the lobbying efforts of professional organizations than with public safety?
I am not an architect and also not a structural engineer. I guess my other extensions (MAJ Wall, MAJ Door, MAJ Stair) will be useful for architectures. If I can improve and be sure MAJ Column is useful for structural engineers my next extension will be for making beam.
In my old ACAD days, I used to complain that the software seemed not to understand what architects needed from CAD. Then someone let me into a big open secret. I forget the numbers but let’s make them up for fun. For every architect who bought/used AutoCad, there were about 20 engineers (of various kinds). So if that holds good for SU, you may be onto something.
Having said that, I haven’t ever read a post here from an engineer. They may be lurking…
What I would appreciate is if we could indicate a steel reinforcing kg value per m3 concrete (typically what a Structural Engineer advises for costing purposes) and have the extension generate guidance reinforcing from that.
Thank you for your suggestion. Also, I think it is nice to have a table of content for each column include the total length of rebars and stirrups, reinforcing kg, concrete m3, and…
I don’t have any idea how to show this information and how to keep them. Do you have any idea about it? Also, let me know for information that an engineer needs.
Thank you in advance,
for my use case description above it is more about getting an approximate steel weight relative to the amount of concrete (ie. for costing purposes), I suggest you not venture into creating an extension to design the reinforcing on a structural engineering level, unless you are a structural engineer or collaborate with one to validate the extension and output
so concrete has a certain density range depending on the strength, and reinforcing steel also has an approximate density, relate the concrete amount to the steel kg per concrete m3 value input, and have certain reinforcing arrangement presets (typicals) one can choose from, else a default one, and the extension then increases / decreases the amount of steel reinforcing based on the guidelines provided
This is the reason that I asked for structure engineers’ help in the forum. I just wanted to show the potential of this extension. I believe this extension and the “MAJ Beam” extension can be very useful for structural engineers if I receive professional help.
I am a retired architect but doing my own small projects. My structural engineering friend does not like my 3d drawings (he says he can only see in 2d). I want to know my projects are understood by all building contractors and feel 3d drawings showing all details are important to having as few “construction mistakes as possible” is important. See John Brock’s building process: Fireside Chat and his own website: Being able to show rebar in concrete is something I have been doing. I certainly cannot get a picture of how to shape the rebar from the structural drawings! I plan on trying “MAJ Column”
MAJ Column not only draws rebars but also draw stirrups. Also, rebars can have a top and bottom neck. When you change the size and the number of rebars stirrups size automatically changes. It will be nice you check the details and let me know if there is something wrong. If you need some more details in the column, let me know. I wish to improve this extension and use improvement for MAJ Beam in future.
